Mumbai, April 19 (IANS): Indian Super League (ISL) franchise Mumbai City FC on Tuesday appointed former Costa Rica midfielder Alexandre Henrique Borges Guimaraes as its head coach.

Alexandre is best known for his achievements as the head coach of the Costa Rica national squad, leading them past the qualifying stages for the 2002 and the 2006 FIFA World Cups. He started coaching in Costa Rican club Belen FC. He has coached Al Wasl in United Arab Emirates, China's Tianjin Teda earlier.

"I have been coaching in Asia for a few years now and the Indian growth story is something that has caught my eye for quite a while. I was always keen to be a part of this massive football movement, and over my conversations with the club, I almost instantly knew that Mumbai City FC would be the perfect club for me to make my foray into Indian football," Guimaraes said in a release after being named the coach.

“I am very excited about this new challenge and I hope, that together with the entire Mumbai City FC team, we deliver a successful season to the people of Mumbai,” he said.

Team co-owner Ranbir Kapoor said, “We are extremely excited to have Alexandre on board with us. As a coach, and as a player, he has always shown great endearing and persistent traits, along with a winner's mentality, that resound with our beliefs at Mumbai City FC. We are very confident that he is a right fit for the club, and for this city.”